Houston Baptist University is developing a Center for Christianity in Business and has engaged the Faithwalking team in some conversations. Six of us met with their team a few weeks back to discuss the vision of the Center. I am cautiously excited about what HBU is up to in this endeavor and am attempting to contribute to the dialogue.
Following the conversations one of the professors who is leading the Center's charge wrote and asked about the Scriptural basis for Faithwalking. Here, in part, is my response.
Larry, I've puzzled over how to respond to your email - thus the long delay. You asked what Scriptures you could study in order to get a sense of who we are. They are the same as always - the one's about unconditional love, forgiveness, sacrifice, taking up your cross ..... the ones about the church being like a body, a bride, a family, living stones ..... the one's about God's heart for justice and unity. There's nothing new there. We are profoundly biblically based.
To "get" what we believe and teach through the Faithwalking movement, you have to start with an understanding of paradigms and mental models and how the mental models help us get a view of life. Paradigms and/or mental models are very powerful - see Acts 1:6 when, after the resurrection and despite three years of hearing Jesus' teaching and seeing Him perform miracles - the disciples ask him if now he is going to deliver on their expectations shaped by their mental model of who the Messiah was to be. They still expected an earthly King with a Kingdom run by a treasury and an army.
This is but one illustration of how even the people of God hold a view of things that comes from their interpretation of Scripture that is not the view God intended. This happens over and over again and has many historical events to illustrate it. Our mental models in 21st Century America have been shaped by the modern, industrial western world. The influence of modernism caused us to "see" the Scripture in a certain way, and along with the modern world's commitment to certainty, caused us to believe that our interpretation of the Scripture was the truth rather than simply a view or an interpretation. We pretty consistently failed to bring a humility that said our view was simply that - a view that in the mystery of God - could be flawed or incomplete.
In Faithwalking we help people examine their mental models, see the power of them to help make sense of our world and to see how they can screen our a view from Scripture as well. Ours is a different view than the one held by modernity in many ways. Once you begin to see that your view is just that, then you become open to other ways of seeing the same Scriptures and the Holy Spirit has room to work. In taking this approach we attempt to foster deep conviction about one's view while simultaneously holding that view with deep humility and openness to change.
Now, lest you think that this is some postmodern, believe what ever you want to believe, approach to Scripture, let me tell you that Faithwalking begins with an assertion that in the modern western view of things, we have dummied down Jesus vision for humanity and have accepted low levels of obedience that we have justified and rationalized in order to maintain our western, materialistic, extravagant way of life. The teaching of Faithwalking asserts that the Church has been captured by democratic, capitalism that teaches us to be fear driven consumers, giving the leftovers of our extravagant life to mission trips and an occasional visit to the Food Bank. That's the beginning place.
And we go back to the Scriptures to see Jesus for the counter cultural revolutionary that he was - challenging the status-quo in government and religion especially in places where systemic injustice was taking advantage of the poor and the powerless. Then we begin to ask, in light of that, what does it mean for us to hear the words of Jesus when he says, "If you love me, you'll obey my commands" (John 14:21, John 15:10, I John 5:3).
Well, that's a start. I haven't even gotten to the application of all this to the advance of the Kingdom of God and how our view of the Scriptural teachings about "congregation" impact and in some ways undermine the advance of His Kingdom. So as you can see, this does not really lend itself to either an email discussion or to a list of Scriptures to review. I'd be glad to carve out some time for leisurely conversations over good coffee. And I welcome you to attend a Faithwalking retreat. The next one is on September 12-14 here in Houston.
One more thing - you got the spirit of what we are about correct. Ours is not a program to improve and refine the lives of Christians in our culture - to maintain the status-quo or to help them get a little more of the American dream. It is a movement that is committed to the transformation of life - beginning with our own lives and rippling out to our families, our neighborhoods, to the institutions and sectors of our city - including the business sector. We believe and are working passionately toward the day when a visible, serving Church will be present in every major business, school, and institution in our city. This is not some new and improved vision of western Christianity. It is a deep, abiding, and passionate commitment to Jesus as THE transforming presence in the world and to the belief that He is able to transform this amazing, decadent, influential, broken, jewel of a city.
Blessings,
jth
Friday, July 25, 2008
The power of mental models
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sugar Land / Staffort Compassion Project on Aug 16th 2008...
by Vickie Dalton
Sugar Land / Stafford
August 16th is the scheduled date for our Compassion Project and the day is fast approaching! I am really excited this year as we enter into this beautification project and it is my prayer that you will join us! We will be partnering with the business community and each other again this year to bless Stafford Primary School! LOWE'S from Sugar Land has given the school a fantastic grant that will allow them to build a Reading/Community Garden! This will enable teachers to teach Science and Math with a truly "hands on" approach as well as fill the very practical need for food as the kids grow and eat their own vegetables.
Lowe's has been gracious to allow us to join them. Almost all of the materials that will be needed for this years Compassion Project will be purchased with GRANT funds awarded to the school!
If you were involved with us last year, I don't have to remind you of just how powerful the effects were from this outreach in building relationships with the Stafford School district alone. I believe this outreach and the NDOP/GDOP events have also been instrumental in deepening relationships among the churches in our community. One of the first things we saw is that while this undertaking is too much for most of us alone, when we join hands together there is synergy and the burden is light!
In addition to sending teams of volunteers, I am asking each of you to consider giving a monetary donation to this project so that we can purchase necessary supplies for the workers and also purchase teaching supply gift cards for the teachers as we did last year. While we spent $2,400 last year for teacher gift cards, I think the VALUE of them has FAR surpassed the COST!
Below is a list of projects that we have been asked to undertake this August 16; some are directly connected to the Lowe's project, some are not:
Relocate established wax ligustrum bushes to bare spots around the school.
Paint the pavillion on the playground
Paint several different pieces of playground equipment
Assemble 3-4 picnic tables
Refresh the landscape that we installed last year
Construct the New Reading/Community Garden (Lowe's will precut the lumber, have all supplies on hand and oversee the construction)
We need your church or group to join us! If each church brings 10 volunteers, we will have a great group and will be able to accomplish everything on this list!
I am attaching a Sign up sheet for you to use at your church and list of supplies needed along with instructions for you to hand out to volunteers. I also have a Power Point presentation available if you would like to have a copy. It has been updated with current information on it. (Due to the file size (over 11 mb) I am not attaching it here.
Please call me with any questions or if you would like to help in any way. My cell is 832-439-9545 or you can reply to this email. It would also be extremely helpful in our planning to know your anticipated level of participation for this years event.
Thanks to each of you and many blessings!
Download:
Instructions / Sign in sheet / 1 Page Power Point
Vickie Dalton
Stafford Rise
4211 Creek Hollow
Missouri City, TX 77459
832-439-9545
The spiritual, social, and economic transformation of our community!!!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Location Change for September 2008 Faithwalking Retreat
by Jim Herrington
Due to escalating gas prices, Mission Houston is relocating the September Faithwalking Retreat from SonRise Mountain Ranch in Colorado to Northwest Forest Retreat Center in the Houston area. This change in location has two implications.
Date: Since there is no travel time needed, the dates and start/end time are as follows: Friday, September 12, 9:00 am until Sunday, September 14 at 5:00 pm.
Cost: $650 per person (rather than the $1100 with increased airfare to Colorado). This includes meals, lodging, and tuition.
The deadline for registering for this iteration of the Faithwalking Retreat is September 1, 2008. To register go on line to the Faithwalking web site and complete the application form.
Please feel free to forward this to those who are interested in Faithwalking, the leadership development arm of Mission Houston.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
WMBC Partnering with Mission Houston and Shearn Elementary...
by Pastor Gary Long
Willow Meadows Baptist Church
Every now and then an opportunity comes along that is clearly from God. in my estimation, the chance for Willow Meadows Baptist Church to partner with Mission Houston in the adoption of Shearn Elementary is a great opportunity. Through our long-time ministry partner, Mission Houston, we will work with other churches to meet various needs among the students, often mentoring and tutoring and work to beautify the campus of Shearn. This is all under the umbrella of "The Whole and Healthy Children Initiative."
The school's administration, headed by Principal Bill Buck, is excited to have us on campus to get involved by mentoring kids beginning this fall. To take part in that, you simply need to call or visit Shearn and see Ms. Sylvia Healy to complete background checks and be paired with a teacher for the fall. The commitment is one hour per week for the course of the year, and you'll be spending time with two children. Ms. Healy can be reached at 713-2955236 or at shealy@houstonisd.org.
Click here for more information.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sugar Land in prayer...
By Vickie Dalton for Pastor Kerry Wood
Calvary Church @ The Fountains
Community Catalyst CSA 35 (Sugar Land / Stafford)
Recently Pastor Kerry sent out an update about last month's Community Prayer event held at Faith Lutheran. Many of you were there as we entered into the throne room. Thanks to all who helped lead us.
We have been invited to join each other again this month in a prayer journey of experimentation and tenacity. As Pastor Kerry so aptly spoke, there are so many things in the heart of God that will never be realized in our community and families unless we persist in prayer. Join us as we learn and sojourn with each other. We have yet to see The Kingdom come in fullness as God wants to see it in Sugar Land and Stafford. Our families are broken and distracted, marriages compromised, education lagging, businesses greedy, and racial prejudices of all kinds still exist. Our cities need “the Praying Church.” The fact is, the Church needs an awareness of our community’s brokenness; and that also comes through prayer.
This month’s prayer gathering is Tuesday Night, July 15th, at Calvary Church @ The Fountains (12410 Sugardale, Stafford); 7 p.m.
Please announce it to your church and especially to your intercessors. We will be learning, experimenting, and adventuring in prayer. Please come help us.
For the King and His Kingdom,
